1 day ago
18 ARTICLE AD
Published January 5, 2025 4:47pm Updated January 5, 2025 4:48pm
West Ham have added Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carney Chukwuemeka to their shortlist of January targets and could look to prise the duo away from Chelsea before the transfer deadline.
After a disappointing start to the Premier League season, West Ham are preparing to splash the cash, with the club languishing down in 14th place and Julen Lopetegui coming under increasing pressure.
The Irons are determined to strengthen up front following injuries to Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen and moves for Brighton’s Evan Ferguson, Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan and Middlesbrough’s Latte Lath are being explored.
Antonio is expected to miss the remainder of the campaign following his horror car crash last month, while Bowen – the club’s top scorer this season – has been ruled out for six weeks with a fractured foot.
The east London outfit are also keen to bolster their options in attacking midfield, according to The Telegraph, with Chelsea duo Dewsbury-Hall and Chukwuemeka firmly on their radar.
West Ham would favour loan deals this month but the club’s hierarchy have not ruled out the possibility that funds could be released through January sales.
Dewsbury-Hall followed Enzo Maresca from Leicester to Chelsea for a fee of £30million in the summer, but the 26-year-old has struggled for regular minutes and is yet to start a single league game this term.
Chukwuemeka, 21, meanwhile, has made 32 appearances in all competitions for the Blues since joining from Aston Villa in 2022, though has not featured in the top flight under Maresca.
Facing the media a fortnight ago, Maresca admitted he expected Chukwuemeka to be among those players who could ask to depart Stamford Bridge in the winter window.
‘There are players that unfortunately didn’t play a lot with us in all the competitions like Chilwell, like Carney,’ the Chelsea head coach told reporters.
‘Probably they are the first [to say] that they want to leave because they train every day, because they want to play games.’
Maresca stressed that Chelsea would endeavour to ‘find a solution’ for any Chelsea players frustrated with their situation.
‘If they don’t play games probably they are thinking of leaving,’ he added.
‘Each player is a bit different situation, so we’re going to see if some of them are coming and knocking on the door to say, “I want to leave”, or something like that.
‘It depends and we will try to find a solution.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Arsenal star Thomas Partey reveals dressing room atmosphere after Brighton draw
MORE: Nottingham Forest are serious contenders for a top-four finish
MORE: Frank Lampard wants to sign Arsenal veteran Mikel Arteta sold for Coventry City
